RE NO-LICENSE AND OFFICIAL FIGURES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2350, 17 November 1908, Page 2

RE NO-LICENSE AND OFFICIAL FIGURES.

[Jo the Editor..] -Sir, —I will think, you to publish the following letter and rep.y. 1 inio-ht add that I cannot understand why the Rev. Air-. Ghatterton should desire the unofficial figures of the Town Clerk to be taken as ’against the official records of the Departments through which the liquor passes, especially so as the aribtrators had this information before them and considered the Information and source unsatisfactory. —I am, etc., W. DOUGLAS LYSNAR.

" The Rev. Mr Ghatterton, Gisborne. —Dear Sir, —I ay as deeply grieved to learn this morning that you are not respecting the result of the investigation of the figures in the present NoLicense contest, and that you have thought fit, wihout saying one word to me, to use a wire of the Town Clerk of Invercargill to discredit your own signed statement of figures. In agreeing to submit- the figures to arbitration, it was expressly stipulated in clause 2 of the reference, as follows: (2) “Figures to be confined to aa'bat can be ascertained through latest Year Book, and from Customs and harbor board returns, 'and, if there are any 'facts which affect the position, or 'the figures, such explanation as will make them clear is to he added.” You arc fully aware that the Town Clerk of Invercargill keeps no office records of what liquor is consumed in Invercargill, and any information obtained from him has no authoritative effect whatever, and, therefore, how can you possibly claim that the irresponsible statement of the Town Clerk is better than the harbor and Customs official returns? Moreover, since your objection was made public I have asceratined that the arbitrators had a similar wire to the one quoted by you from the Town Clerk of Invercargill before them, in the words and figures following: “Piesse, accountant, Gisborne, —Local and .imported beer for two years before No-license 564.24( gallons, since No-license 290,720 gallons. Government returns show actual consumption in Invercargill for two years under No-license 114,675 gallons.—Town Clerk.” This telegram was received in reply to a telegram sent by the arbitrators addressed “Harbormaster, Invercargill,” which should have been addressed “Harbormaster, Bluff,” as neither arbitrator would have asked for official records of imports from a Town Clerk. Upon receipt of the above reply both arbitrators naturally decided that the communication could not be treated as authentic, and the telegram was laid aside as worthless, for the Town- Clerk had no official information an. his office, upon which to base his estimate, and the arbitrators very properly decided to get their information, from the Customs and harbor records, in accordance with our reference, and on your own suggestion. Further, it was understood that the figures of the aribtrators were to go before the public, with-, out comment, that- they might draw their own conclusions, and yet, in the very issue of the evening paper (in which the figures were published) the No-license League (above your signature as president), issued an inset discrediting the figures. I am aware that the trade issued a leaflet also, but this was after the- publication of your leaflet. I again repeat that 1 think your attitude is to be- regretted, that it is quite unfair and improper, and a distinct breach of an honorable arrangement properly arrived at, and duly authenticated by your own and my signatures, and should he loyally respected.—l am, yours respectfully, W. Douglas Lys; nar.

Te Itau College, Gisborne, 16th November, 1908. Dear Sir, —I have read your letter, which contains many things that I could take exception to, but I will refrain. I should only like to remind you that on Fri-. day at lunch time you insisted on my agreeing to publish the facts or figures upon which we were agreed, in spite of my saying that there was- an. important telegram from Invercargill which I was waiting for, and which would put the whole question in a fair light. You placed me at a disadvantage by wishing the figures published before that information came to hand. Had I known it was in Piesse’s office I would not have signed the figures until it was produced and its contents embodied. Mr. Sheridan, I believe, was aware of its existence. The next day I received several wires confirming its statements. I do not like to think you knew anything about it, I am quite prepared to accept your assurance that such was the case, for I think you would hardly have said the strong">and insulting things about my misrepresenting tho case had you obtained this information. At the same time, I blame you now, as I have blamed -you all through, for undue haste in making assertions before you had collected all 1 the facts, as I maintain it was your bounden duty to do so. In this matter I believe you have been honest .in. your opposition to Nolicense, believing on the .authority of Invercargill Customs figures that there was an increase of liquor going into the town. Now that I think you must be persuaded that the amount is much less than it was under license, I hope we may claim you 'as one of our supporters, as I think you have said that if we could show that No-license decreased drinking you would he with. us. Let mo add that I do not hear any ill-will or ill-feeling against you in this matter, and' that only the importance which- I attach to the question would have led me to take the .action I have. —I remain, yours faithfully, F. W. Ghatterton.